I can now start “Countdown to Cape 2011” *cue dramatic news story music* Will we see it for longer than thirty seconds of the last episode? Will Tom Welling even look good in the suit?
Full Story »V: Unholy Alliance
Chad Decker is the embodiment of the show’s abuse of expository scenes to move the plot along. Despite the huge step forward for his character is the previous episodes, including his introduction to the rest of the Fifth Column, his role this week was diminished to something similar to a Greek chorus, narrating and filling in plot progression through his news reports.
Full Story »The Cape: Dice
I want to like Peter Fleming as a villain. No, really, I do. A well crafted villain is always more interesting than the hero. The main reason is that you don’t know everything about the big bad guy right away — you have to watch and learn, try to wrap your head around their motivations. Think about Magneto, as portrayed by Sir Ian McKellen in X-Men, a character so tangible you could touch him if you weren’t afraid he’d do something painful to you with his mutant powers. Fleming could be a good villain — even a great one — if he didn’t keep relying on the Evil Overlord Handbook.
Full Story »The Cape: Scales on a Train
After seeing this week’s episode, I am convinced that the show has two diametrically opposed forces behind it. One wants the show to be good. The other wants it to suck.
Full Story »More Than the Mask: A Closer Look at The Cape (Part Two)
By Mike Brendan
Last week I wrote about some of the series’s short comings. While The Cape has proven flawed thus far, it’s still got potential but some issues need to be dealt with fast.
Full Story »V: Laid Bare
As of now, V is still considered “on the bubble,” meaning that it is at risk of being canceled. Even with the rocky start to the second season, I still wanted it to succeed because it provided a fun world to escape to for an hour. Now that I have seen Laid Bare, however, I very much want it to succeed because it is clear now that this show is headed in the right direction.
Full Story »No Ordinary Family: No Ordinary Detention
By Sonia Aurora
If I had superpowers (and, trust me, I have thought long and hard about what powers I want, what I would do with those, or any, powers I might ever be given), I would really want to have fun with them. Also, being an avid film and TV watcher, I would likely emulate something I had seen or re-enact something fun (for example, if I were Wonder Woman, yes, I might want to twirl around, arms fanned out, for kitsch’s sake).
Full Story »The Cape: Kozmo
By Mike Brendan – No doubt visitors to this site are familiar with TvTropes.org. Many writers use this to look at what tropes and cliches are in circulation and see if their own work risks tripping on too many of them. After seeing this episode of The Cape, I’m left to wonder if series creator Tom Wheeler compiled a list of superhero tropes to hand to his writing staff — but forgot to label it as “things to avoid” because it sure as hell feels like they’re using it as a checklist.
Full Story »More Than the Mask: A Closer Look at The Cape (Part One)
I’m of the opinion that because the “real people with super powers” concept tanked mightily after the first season of Heroes, the folks at NBC decided to go with “comic book characters without the powers” when making The Cape. That’s all fine and good, but the show needs to make up its mind as to whether it’s serious or campy.
Full Story »No Ordinary Family: No Ordinary Brother
By Sonia Aurora
I come from a family of five girls, so I am artful in the knowledge of sibling relationships. The bottom line is that , no matter what, you would do anything for your brother or sister, regardless of how often they might drive you nuts, because they would do the same for you. This week, NOF explores this family dynamic.
Full Story »V: Serpent’s Tooth
Anna FINALLY ate a rat! Well, technically she chewed it up and fed it to Ryan’s baby. The scene acted as a perfect homage to the iconic rat-eating scene in the original V, by passing the torch to the new series. The torch, of course, being the chewed-up rat carcass. Yum.
Full Story »This is What a Terrible Comic Book Show Looks Like
For those of you who like it, feel free to revel in this sub-par comic book potpourri. For anyone who enjoys quality comic book films, stay away from this like the black goo that turned Eddie Brock into Venom. In the second episode of The Cape, Farraday says about his dedication, “My family is not my weakness, they’re my strength.” My strength is my remote when I turn this off.
Full Story »The Cape: Tarot
With the second part of the two hour premiere, we find Vince making the classic mistake of taking it to the arch-villain Flemming in his own apartment right away. Of course, while Vince manages to hack Flemming’s unprotected computer he fails to disarm the alarm on the door. I thought he had Oracle — uh, I mean Orwell for that sort of detail?
Full Story »The Cape: Pilot
By Mike Brendan
Of the many superheroes in comic book mythology, Batman always stood out as one of my favorites. He was a hero that always had to rely on his own skills. Sure, Bruce Wayne had millions at his disposal, but that doesn’t mean squat if you have to go up against the likes of Ra’s al Guhl, Killer Croc, Mister Freeze, or even Darkseid. In the end it comes down to skill, intelligence and tactics. That’s what I had in mind when I first saw teasers for The Cape.
Full Story »Human Target: A Problem Like Maria/Communication Breakdown
By Rosalind
Human Target is a study in opposites, or it’s yoga, because it pulls in two directions all the time. The overall storylines about the characters move very slowly, while the action of each episode is fast and heart-pounding. They work for the greater good (the greater good), but to accomplish that goal they need to consistently break the rules and laws. The characters want to hate each other, but in reality, each one of them is needed to create a good working team. I think it’s the dichotomies that keep me interested in the show, and this episode played right to those almost perfectly.
Full Story »No Ordinary Family: No Ordinary Friends
By Sonia Aurora – Initially, I breathed a sigh of relief; Daphne retains her powers! The family literally bands together to have Daphne touch them collectively so she can absorb their memories, including many related to her. Unfortunately, as is the case with a Disney-esque superhero show, they are eschewing the reasons why she lost her memory to begin with.
Full Story »V Season 2 Premiere: Red Rain
By Nina Sordi – T. The imagery of Jane Badler aka Diana, queen of the Visitors from the original 80s V, emerging from a cocoon in bright red heels was so epic that it redeemed many of shows’ flaws.
Full Story »Beginning of Line Continues Caprica Where Syfy Left Off
by Teresa Jusino – It’s so awesome that I’m able to write about this as Sylvia is beginning her wonderful (and much-needed) series on fan fiction. In addition to being a fun and worthwhile pursuit in its own right, it has proven to be the lifeline through which its source material can continue to exist. Before Doctor Who returned to television in 2005, it existed solely as fan fiction for a good sixteen years, and many of the writers of the 2005 Who were products of fandom. People like Steven Moffat (the show’s current showrunner) and Paul Cornell (writer of some of the most popular stories in New Who) were writing fan fiction, keeping their beloved property alive any way they could! And now, Doctor Who is the most popular show on the BBC all these years later. All because fans just wouldn’t leave it alone.
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